"When Ed and two colleagues arrest a violent man they don't take his threats seriously, but when the other two officers are murdered, Ed is convinced that he knows who the killer is. Suspended from duty he sets himself up as the next victim, determined to prove that his suspicions are correct." (tv . com episode guide).

Chief: "I do have to give you credit, Ed: You had a good hunch when you called the churches the place where Vincent was hiding the murder-gun."

Ed: "What do you mean "hunch"? It was pure logic. Your kind of logic! That's why I ran instead of clobbering him."

Eve: "That's right, chief. It seems to me that you were out of it all the way."

Chief: "All right, tell the truth Ed: Did you need me – I mean really need me - or did you handle it yourself?"

Eve: "He handled it!"

Ed (nods)

Chief (grinning like a big old cat): "That's what I mean. I had a hunch he would."

Mark: "Wouldn't you know he'd find some way to take the credit?"

Prologue:

So finally the world was back in place again... until the telephone rang.

Ed passed the phone to Ironside, who answered it.

When he put the handset down, his friends knew that the calm was already over.

The chief wanted to start talking but was interrupted by a coughing fit of his Sergeant. He watched him irritated, then explained:

„Frank Vincent seems to be behaving very strangely. He is suggesting that he will be free in a short while. People there don't know what to make of that. It seems to them as though he thinks he has another ace hidden somewhere."

„An ace? But the evidence against him is overwhelming, isn't it?" Eve asked.

The chief thought about it, then he ordered:

„Eve, you have a little chat with Mrs. Vincent. Perhaps she's now ready to cooperate.

Ed – you drive out to Bayville and talk to this Marian Lord. Try to find out if she knows anything."

Ed nodded, suppressing another coughing spell.

Ironside irritably asked back: „Are you fit for this or do I have to go on with a reduced staff?"

„'Course I am. She's quite pretty!" Ed tried to make light.

The chief wasn't convinced though. And moreover his Sergeant had missed enough sleep to fall asleep behind the wheel. It was probably wiser not to let him go alone.

„Mark, you better drive him. But you take his car!"

Watching his associates leave, Ironside debated if he had considered everything. And was Ed all right? There had been a great deal of pressure on him these last few days, and now this cold... But no, Ed was young and strong, he would do just fine.

Chapter 1 After "Just Another Quiet Night in Baghdad by the Bay"

Mark was driving back the same way Ed had taken shortly before. From time to time Ed had to sneeze or cough.

"You should have drunk my grandmother's tea", Mark joked, but Ed felt too tired to go on with the banter.

When they finally reached their destination, Mark asked if he should come along.

Ed denied, for he didn't even know whether Marian Lord was home or not.

He stepped out of the car and climbed up to the small house. Before reaching the entrance door, he heard the cry of a woman behind the house. You didn't have to be a police officer to react to that kind of cry. Ed froze in his step, then he hurried towards the corner. When he turned it, he saw Marian Lord and two men. One was as tall as Ed, but a lot larger, the other seemed two or three inches shorter, but as heavy as his – companion? probably brother, Ed thought, because there was a distinct resemblance between the two. The taller kept Miss Lord's arm like in a twinge.

"Let her go!" Ed ordered in a calm but decided voice.

The big man saw a slim, rather pale young man in a suit. He was convinced that this boy didn't stand a chance against his solid 240 pounds, even without considering his brother.

Moreover, Ed started to cough again. The big man just laughed: "Go away, kid, don't mix up with men!"

From the street below he heard a car being started – hopefully Marian Lord's. But he was aware that this was just the beginning of his own troubles.

The stocky second brother was moving towards him. Ed wanted to bounce Fred into him and run, but Fred was far too heavy for that. He didn't budge. Ed was blocked behind him, and he was too late to protect himself. The brother's fist hit home and he went down.

"Thank you, Harry, that bastard's quick!" gasped Fred. "He could have broken my nose." He turned around and with his heavy boot he kicked Ed hard, and not just once. But his victim didn't feel this anymore.

For a moment, Fred seemed to have difficulties to remember the reason why they were here.

"Frank's not going to be pleased", Harry reminded him. "And we owe him."

Fred reconsidered the whole situation.

"The girl called him "Sergeant". He's not just any passer-by. She knows him. Let's have a look!"

Because Fred's nose was still bleeding, Harry knelt down to search the unconscious man on the ground. "No gun, no badge, but a wallet with his driver's license: Edward Brown."

"That's the cop who was on Frank's heels and got suspended for being too rough on him!"

"Fred, I have an idea: Let's take this boy instead of the girl. I'm sure the police will want to have him back and we can trade him for Frank!"

"That's a possibility. But we have to be careful: Cops often work in teams. There might be a second one somewhere."

A quick glance around the corner revealed them that there was just one car nearby with somebody waiting inside. They grabbed Ed's body and carried him between them. By the time Mark noticed them, they were only a few steps away from the car. Alarmed Mark opened the door.

"Listen, cop, you will do exactly as we tell you, or your friend here will feel it immediately." With that, Fred kept a knife against Ed's throat. It was just a pocket-knife, but long enough to kill.

Mark didn't tell them that he was no cop, it didn't matter at the moment. "What did you do to him?" he wanted to know.

"He's alive, and if you want him to stay that way, you let me get into that car and don't try to be smart!"

They stuffed Ed - not too gently - into the back seat and Fred, whose nose had stopped bleeding, climbed in beside him. Harry took his own car, which was parked further down the road.

Fred made Mark follow Harry's white Sedan. They drove away from the coast and up into the mountains.

Gradually Ed started to regain consciousness. At first, he had the impression that he couldn't breathe. He would have panicked, but there was not enough air for that. He struggled and somehow managed to catch at least some air. Only then did he get aware of the stinging pain in his ribcage. He couldn't suppress a low moan. Fred wasn't impressed and taunted: "You see, my nose is hurting too, so this is nothing but fair. May I remind you: It was you who attacked me!"

Mark was glad that he heard at least something of his colleague, even if it was just his ragged breathing.

Ed kept drifting in and out of consciousness, while they drove on. Once they passed a little town. Although he saw everything like through a fog, Ed remembered being here with the chief, nearly a year ago, before that sniper's bullet had put Ironside into a wheelchair.

Author's notes:

Wanted urgently: Beta Reader! English is a foreign language for me, so I need your help - please!

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